Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe all clean 2022-05-12

Update 2022-05-20: Clean Rivers again 2022-05-19.

WWALS got good results on five rivers from samples Thursday. No significant rain is predicted. No sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Florida or Georgia. So happy swimming, boating, and fishing on the Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, and Santa Fe Rivers!

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide

These samples are of course only from a few locations, so they cannot give the condition of the entire rivers. Still, they’re a pretty good indication.

The only red thumb sticking out is at GA 133 on the Withlacoochee River, where for Monday Valdosta got way too high E. coli. Since there was no rain recorded upstream, that looks like the old problem of somebody dumping something in the river. Probably it has washed away and gotten diluted by now. But we have no more recent tests at that location to tell. Some time next week Valdosta will publish the rest of their results for this week, and then we’ll know. Continue reading →

Pictures: Pafford’s Landing cleanup 2022-04-16

Here are pictures and commentary by WWALS Executive Director Gretchen Quarterman at the WWALS Earth Day Pafford’s Landing cleanup on the Alapaha River.

Meanwhile, I’d like to know what we need to do to get people from Lakeland and Lanier County to come clean up? What happened to the regular cleanups apparently promised by the Sheriff and the County Commission? Must we call in the Marines every time to clean up Pafford’s Landing?

After previous cleanups in Lanier County, the county dump accepted all the trash we got from the river, including tires. Why not these three tires this time?

The dump did accept the approximately 300 pounds of bagged trash. Thanks to the Marine recruits for helping bag it.

Also, Hooters, KFC, Hardees, Chick-fil-A, and Budweiser, maybe if you didn’t produce so much single-use trash, there wouldn’t be so much of it thrown away.

[Begin, Volunteers, Marines, Trash]
Begin, Volunteers, Marines, Trash

Shirley and I were the volunteers to sign in and we waited for other WWALS members or Lanier County people to help out but no more came. We are looking fresh and clean at 9AM. Continue reading →

Pictures: Mayday to Statenville, Alapaha River 2019-03-23

It was a ten!

It was a fine spring day for thirteen miles on the Alapaha River from Mayday to Statenville. Cypress, oaks, pines, tea-colored water, and a sandy lunch spot.

See it in these pictures by Gretchen Quarterman.

[Collage]
Collage

The water level was about 9 feet or 85.1′ NAVD88 on the Statenville Gauge. That’s higher than our old recommended maximum, so we’re raising the max to 10 feet (86.1′ NAVD88). Continue reading →

Statenville to Sasser Landing, Alapaha River, plus Turket Creek Waterfall 2022-07-09

Paddle with WWALS down the blackwater Alapaha River over some rapids, with side trip to Turket Creek Waterfall.

[Jennings Defeat, Turket Creek Waterfall, Statenville Boat Ramp]
Jennings Defeat, Turket Creek Waterfall, Statenville Boat Ramp

Bring a rope for each end of your boat, for towing and carrying. Shortly after the GA-FL line are the notorious shoals Jennings Defeat, so named because even the founder of Jennings, Florida, portaged around them. Last time WWALS went through there, only three boats paddled through those shoals. Continue reading →

Clean Rivers 2022-05-05

Update 2022-05-13: Withlacoochee, Little, Alapaha, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe all clean 2022-05-12.

Another clean river week! All the WWALS test results for Thursday and Wednesday are good.

It did just rain cats and dogs, but only briefly. We can’t know yet, but my guess is there wasn’t enough rain to wash much contamination into the rivers, not even down Okapilco Creek. I would paddle this weekend, or swim, or fish.

[Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, Rivers, Swim Guide

If you’re not doing that, come on down to the Salty Snapper for the WWALS Withlacoochee River cleanup. Continue reading →

Reroute: Langdale Park becomes Withlacoochee River and Sugar Creek Cleanup 2022-05-07

Update 2022-05-14: Mayor, Council, volunteers, helped WWALS clean up Sugar Creek and Withlacoochee River 2022-05-07.

We’re changing this Saturday’s paddle to an on-land cleanup below the Salty Snapper parking lot, walking down Sugar Creek to the Withlacoochee River and the railroad bridge.

Because it’s now completely a cleanup, this outing is free! Also, no boat required. Bring mud boots, sturdy clothes, gloves, and any trash pickers you may have. We will supply trash bags. And for the Mayor, a Sawzall.

[Trash and log jams]
Trash and log jams

This reroute is because Continue reading →

Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2022-04-30

Adel, GA, May 3, 2022 — Nineteen canoeists and kayakers set out on a beautiful blue-sky morning on Saturday, April 30, 2022, and one from far away won the BIG Little River Paddle Race.

[Carl Fuller, First Prize Winner]
Carl Fuller, First Prize Winner

They paddled three miles from Red Roberts Landing to the Colquitt County boat ramp on Reed Bingham State Park Lake.

[Five boats]
Carl Fuller already in the lead.

The overall winner was Continue reading →

Spectrum Energy wood pellet plant a health hazard far beyond Adel –WWALS to GA-EPD 2022-05-02

Here is the WWALS comment letter to GA-EPD about the second wood pellet plant permit application for Adel, Georgia.

[Both pages]
Both pages

The Letter

See also PDF.

May 2, 2022

By Electronic Mail to: Continue reading →

Florida petition online now for Right to Clean and Healthy Waters 2022-05-01

Update 2022-11-10: Florida Right to Clean Water: get petition signatures for court review 2022-11-10.

The Florida statewide petition for Right to Clean and Healthy Water (RTCW) is online now at https://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org

[www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/]
www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/

Please go there to print and sign and return the petition.

For why, see the preceding press conference: Videos: Florida Right to Clean Water, Poe Springs Park 2022-04-21.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

Clean rivers again 2022-04-28

Update 2022-05-06: Clean Rivers 2022-05-05.

Happy swimming, boating, and fishing this weekend!

Come on down to Reed Bingham State Park tomorrow for the BIG Little River Paddle Race.

[Chart, rivers, Swim Guide]
Chart, rivers, Swim Guide

All the WWALS results for Wednesday and Thursday and the Valdosta results up to Monday agree: all the tested locations are clean of E. coli. No sewage spills have been reported in the Suwannee River Basin in Georgia or Florida, and no rain is predicted. Continue reading →